The Day in Pictures

I wouldn't say this is quite as dramatic as the last time I posted a Day in Pictures, but these are some of the things that are keeping me (and Maggie) busy lately.

I wouldn't say that Maggie is naughty, but she definitely has a mischievous side to her. Lately this side has been coming out a lot more. For example, most of these pictures were taken just today. And I should say that I did NOT do anything to set these up. I found her in all of these situations.


Desperate for something to throw to her in the backseat on our way home, but running low on toys in the diaper bag, I gave Maggie this granola bar to play with. SEALED. When we got home, I found it peeled open just like this. (How did she do that???) But instead of finding her with chocolate smeared all over her face like you would expect, she was gingerly picking off tiny pieces with her thumb and forefinger. I was laughing too hard to scold her. Well, guess she's had her first chocolate now.


Again, I say that I did NOT put her in this position. I turned around to throw something away, and here she was. This girl is FAST.


Caught in the act.


Maggie continues to LOVE doors. Today she figured out how to shut mine. After a few minutes stranded in the hall, I convinced her to let me back in the room.


Giving herself a kiss. Naturally.


Today she decided that it was way cooler to stand in the cart than sit facing me. I wish I had a picture of her after this as we were walking through the store - she was standing like she was at the helm of a ship, waving to everyone we passed.


Thirty minutes before Gary was due to get home, I went into the kitchen to start cleaning up from Maggie's dinner. Hearing the ever-so-susupicious sound of NOTHING, I raced into the room to find this. She was literally laying on the floor propped up on one arm making a pile of wipes as fast as she could on top of herself. We immediately left for a walk.

And this is life lately.

Ode to a Garden, Part II

I was loading some pictures from my camera onto my computer this afternoon and came across the BEST PART of the Ode, and I forgot to include it in the previous post!

Ode to a Garden

This is for my mother-in-law, who was a bit miffed that I failed to mention in Maggie's 10-month post that the beautiful purple hydrangea in the picture was from her garden.

Needing some more photography practice, I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous evening light one night last week to capture some shots from around the yard...because really, the hydrangeas are just the beginning...

Baby vs. Grinch - Ten Months

No question. The Grinch doesn't stand a chance.


Enjoying a delicious snack of Grinch fuzz.

Ten Months

Baby Mags is quickly starting to grow out of the "Baby" and is becoming a little girl so quickly. Don't let the lack of hair fool you. She is cunning, quick and witty and she understands way more than you think she does.


This month has been exploding with activity for Maggie. She has almost completely graduated from her army/belly crawl into full-blown hands and knees, although if given a choice she would rather stand and cruise around furniture and do squats all day long. She is not a daredevil...she definitely needs to check things out and proceeds with caution until she is absolutely sure and comfortable (a trait inherited from both of us), but once she knows what she's doing there's no stopping her.



She also is quite certain of what she does and doesn't want, and makes that VERY clear. She has pretty much completely stopped using the sign for "more" and now just bangs her hand on the tray/table/whatever as if to say, "GIVE IT TO ME NOW!"


Also on the subject of communication, she has also started raising her hands above her head to say she is "sooo big." It melts my heart every time. Especially when she does it unprompted. And also when she does it when we ask if she wants more.


One of my favorite things that she has developed this month is figuring out when we think things are funny. Every once and awhile Gary or I will laugh at something and she will start chuckling, too, and then get the giggles. Sometimes she'll just look at the TV or the wall or who knows and just start cracking up.


You just have to look at both of their faces to figure out what's going on here. Add it to the list of "she's going to kill me for this someday."


She's been doing this weird overbite face recently. So unattractive and so cute all at once.


She loves going to the pool (OK, OK, I do, too...), although it is still up for debate whether she likes the water or just sitting and people watching more...


Her favorite thing to do right now is open and close things. Cabinets, doors, books, etc. This box is literally FULL of Beanie Babies and she didn't even touch them...just opened and closed the lid for about fifteen minutes straight.


Maggie always crosses her legs. Such a little lady!


With her "Facebook." It's her favorite right now.


I know this picture is blurry, but it is SO Maggie, and this is an expression that rarely gets captured on the camera.


We're hanging out at Grammy Muggs and Grandpa Gary's house this week so that we can see Gary a little bit more. It's been wonderful so far.

I can't believe we're less than two months away from ONE YEAR. I feel like I understand a little more why mothers get emotional when their kids go to kindergarten and then again off to college...some days I just think, "Eighteen years is not enough! It's not fair!!" And so I try to soak in every minute because time is already flying by way too quickly.

I did it!!

Sometime around the end of last year/beginning of this year my sister and my mom both decided to post about the "Top Ten Books I Read in 2009." Ha! I found myself completely appalled as I tried to remember the last time I read A book, let alone TEN, let alone within one year! And THEN they split the list into "Top Ten Fiction" and "Top Ten Non-Fiction" and I realized that my mind was a total wasteland.

It's not that I don't like to read. There was a time in my life that I devoured books by the day. There was a time that I CHOSE to read such monstrosities as Gone with the Wind and Ben Hur and the Brothers K (what was I thinking??). It's not as if I don't have a PILE of books on my bedside table of all varieties...just in case I'm in the mood for something different.

I just always seem to feel this plaguing sense of guilt every time I sit down to read. Like, "Hey, isn't there something you should be doing??" And whether it's housework or work work or exercise or preparing dinner or sleep or [insert here], the answer is almost always yes. And if I'm on vacation or away from all of those "must do's," then I feel somewhat anti-social for choosing to sit down with a book rather than a person.

Well, regardless of my personality or preferences, I still have had this nagging feeling that I need to start reading again this year. After my women's Bible Study wrapped up at the church this spring, I thought that it would be the perfect time to introduce a book back into my life, taking the time to read when I would have normally been doing my study. So I scoured the bookshelf waiting for inspiration to strike.

I ended up with "All of Grace," by Charles Spurgeon. Not because of the cool retro cover or the author, but because it was SMALL, and I knew I needed something I could definitely finish.


And today I DID.

It only took me two months, but here it is - I have finished my first book of 2010! (We won't divulge how long it's really been since I've finished an entire book...) And it was wonderful. One of the first pieces of literature I've encountered that is specifically written TO those who don't believe. I found it completely refreshing and compelling. It gave me not only a new perspective on those around me, but on my own faith as well.

The last page of the book holds a call to action for both parties. Here is mine:
"He who does not pine to lead others to Jesus has never been under the spell of love himself. Get busy doing the work of the Lord, the work of love. Begin at home. Visit your neighbors next. Enlighten the town or the street where you live. Scatter the Word of the Lord wherever your hand can reach."

Home Sweet Home

As of yesterday, our house is officially ON the market! I am SO excited and SO nervous all at once. I just have to keep reminding myself that God is in control and that his timing is perfect.

You can find a link to our listing here. Feel free to spread the word!

In the meantime, while we wait, I am absolutely ECSTATIC to not have any house projects hanging over our heads anymore! It is such an incredible feeling to have the whole weekend in front of us without thinking about hanging doors or painting or even weeding! (BIG thanks to our parents for their help the past few weeks!)

It's amazing to me that exactly three years ago we were just starting to paint...